Do As Thou Will

Do as thou Will Shall be the Whole of the Law

A neophyte is a person that is entering a new system – new skill or belief system.

When considering the avenue of energetic manipulation, of exercising Will, in exploring the self – one must be open to what will be presented to them. This is a road which leads to outstanding, extreme, seemingly absurd, fantastical and simply interesting concepts. To reject related information without fully developing a rounded understanding of the subject is to rob the self of the opportunity to completing mastery.

This blog is for those that wish to learn. The writers of this blog are learners, readers, experiencers.

The theme runs along the magickal arts, the pagan arts, the mystical, the ancient, the occult.

This is an introduction to the blog, not necessarily to this writers, though that will come later. This blog is about sharing all that is magickal in the world. Some posts will be focused on crystals, some meditation, some ceremonial magick, some chaos, faerie, and so on. There will be posts on divination, tools, herbs, scents, colors, moon phases, astrology, numerology, history, folk lore, books – anything and everything related to the metaphysical world.

How this blog unfolds will remain to be seen. However, we will accept guest posts and hopefully provide a wide variety of information for you, the reader.

Love is the Law, Love Under Will.

Observing Incense Smoke

The Power Behind Words: Vowels Vs. Consonants – A musing

For those of you who follow me on my other blog which revolves around being a “mature” student returning to college, I was recently in a Linguistics class. I registered for this class because of my interest in language and the way it shapes our reality, as well as where certain words come from.

We were going to have to write a research paper revolving around the idea of Linguistics. It could be anything, as long as it had to do with language in some way. The topic I chose, in the mildest of manners (at least in my proposal) was the influence of words on a person, psychologically, metaphysically and physiologically.

Unfortunately my work load was too heavy and I was forced to drop the class, so the paper was never written (yet). However, I still look at words with this idea in mind.

I was recently in my favorite metaphysical shop down town and began chatting to a fellow that frequents there almost as much as I do. Somehow we happened upon the subject and he asked me which were more powerful, vowels or consonants?

This was an interesting idea. I began to ponder it.

Surely vowels are, as they are a continuation of breath, whereas consonants are a stopping of breath in some way. B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, S, T, U, V, X, Z – all involve the tongue touching the roof of the mouth, the teeth, or the lips, or the lips closing, or the teeth (You’ll not there are exceptions to this rule: R and W are not listed. Whereas I cannot speak for R, the W in some languages is considered a vowel, such as in Welsh).

Hilma af Klint Image found on the blog of madammeow-hollygaboriault Click on the image to view more about the artist

I brought this idea to some of my co-workers in the writing center, and one of them exclaimed – “That’s fascinating! I’ve always considered vowels to represent the feminine, and consonants to represent the masculine.”

Of course my first thought was of the womb. When I think of vowels, I think circular, and thus, considering vowels as feminine. It makes sense to me that letters would be assigned gender roles, or duality roles. After all, no word can be created without a vowel. I would go so far as to say that one would need both to create any word at all, though there’s a two words in this very sentence that contradict that. However, you could go so far as to look into myths from different religions and see the stories of immaculate births – from women (feel free to point out some that I miss that might be of men).

But then for balance to exist, and if this role assignment were accurate, or even reversed, then that means that consonants would have to be less powerful than vowels, as there are only 4-6 (for the most part, depending on the mood of Y and the background of W) and 20-22 consonants (in English, any way).

This is an ongoing thought, an idea still developing for me, a contemplation not yet come to full completion. How would this impact my daily word uses? How might I chose my sacred words differently?

**Jane is a student in Bellingham, Washington of Academics and a self-study pupil of magickal arts. She has spent time over a span of 15 years practicing meditation and attuning to the Universe, though her Will leads her along the path of the Written Word. You can read her other blog, Scribing English or her other articles on her Hubpages account, ThompsonPen 

True Will

This is a very deep philosophical concept brought to light from the depths of Thelema practices by Aleister Crowely (It must be noted here that there is debate as to whether or not Thelema existed prior to Crowley, though that’s another discussion, for another time).

Diary of a Drug Fiend by Aleister Crowley Click the Image to go to Amazon

This is a running theme in his writing. On a personal note, I first came across it and truly got the grasph and understanding of True Will in his fictional book, Diary of a Drug Fiend, about a couple in the 1920’s that get hooked on cocaine and heroin and are aided in being released from their addiction by a Crowley-esque figure through spiritual practices.

It is there that the True Will was very well explored, and I gained a very full understanding of it through my own personal meditations following.

The True Will is an understanding of the self in such a way that you know the soul purpose and calling in this life. When you take away everything else, it is the one thing you know that can get you through anything. For some it is Magickal Practice, for some it is an art, parenting, loving _____, physical activity, writing, meditation, building, and so on.

It is more than a passion. It is a driving Will. It will be a common thread that has pulled you along, lingered in the back of your mind if not resting quite happily on the forward of your mind. Once realized, you’ll feel silly for not have seeing it sooner. How could it have been ignored? Or perhaps, you’re one of the lucky ones that has always known it, and have been able to build your life around it.

To try to ignore the True Will is to ignore a part of the self. I personally equate it, in this evolving modern world of ours, as ignoring one’s sexuality. It keeps you caged in, keeps you separated from that which helps contribute to who you are, and as long as that barrier is up, you can never achieve completion in this life, wholeness.

A personal story: When I learned about this, I fully believed that my True Will was to practice Magick, and practice natural medicine. I had a love of plants and the nature around me, and how everything was connected. I wrote about it daily, read about it every chance I got, and was enrolled in a long distance learning program working towards my MA in Holistic Healing. Magick seemed to go hand in hand with it, and it was the only thing that made me feel centered and whole.

As time when on, my passion faded for natural medicine. I still believed in everything I had been striving towards, though the passion was just not there any more. I realized that wasn’t my True Will. I continued on with life and it wasn’t until February 2014, when I was laid off from my job, and knew I needed to do something, that I realized what I had been denying myself. Ever since I could pick up a writing utensil, I have written. Behind everything I did was the need to write. I journalled all the time, wrote about everything, wrote articles and essays no one would ever see, wrote novels and stories – and I was always at my worst when I wasn’t writing.

Writing has been my True Will. And thus, I make sure that it is the backbone of everything I do. I go to school to write, I have four blogs to write, I keep a personal journal, I write copious emails and letters – all to ensure that I am living my True Will. And while my world has crumbled around me in the past year, and I have had a very difficult year, I was never so dark and hurt within myself as I was when I wasn’t writing. Thus is my True Will.

What is your’s? What have you done to ensure you are living in alignment with your True Will?

**Jane is a student in Bellingham, Washington of Academics and a self-study pupil of magickal arts. She has spent time over a span of 15 years practicing meditation and attuning to the Universe, though her Will leads her along the path of the Written Word. You can read her other blog, Scribing English or her other articles on her Hubpages account, ThompsonPen 

 

 

Thursday Craft Throwdown – No-Sew Tarot Cloth

Personally, I resonate heavily with the Tree of Life, and believe that it is the key to understanding the Universe, in more than just a metaphysical manner. I try and surround myself with lessons and teachings of it every day. This is a fantastic spread to incorporate into my daily readings. Thank you, Experiential Pagan, for sharing this

Sub-Rosa

As I mentioned in my Tuesday Tarot posts, I have a favorite lay out of cards.  It mystifies me, as it is associated with Jewish mysticism and Ceremonial Magic — neither of which particularly warms the cockles of my heart.  But because it is the spread that speaks most clearly to me (even when I don’t particularly want to listen!), I wanted to explore it intensely in this Year of Me.

For yes, this is the year of Me — the year I fix my battered body and get it back to fighting trim; the year I address insomnia and my sugar addiction.  I am pleased to say my progress may not be fast on those fronts, but it is constant.  So using the cards to keep in touch with my unconscious self can only help, right?

The Cabalistic “Tree of Life” spread DOES speak to me; I’ve even used…

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Let’s Talk Witch – The Magick of Everyday Things

The Benefit of Flowers

“Consider that songs are geometrical patterns that convey emotion and vibration in a universally recognized way. In fact, a 2008 study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences has effectively demonstrated that people are frequently able to identify the emotions in songs from cultures that they are all but completely unfamiliar with. Similarly, each flower posses what might be seen as its own unique, recognizable energetic signature, though everyone’s experience of the flower will naturally be somewhat different based on his or her emotional makeup and current life situation.” – Tess Whitehurst

Right to the point – Having Fresh Flowers can:

• Increase Creativity
• Put you in a better mood in the morning
• Help with Anxiety
• Relax
• Bring joy
• Make people more mindful of their clutter (inspire cleanliness)
• Enhance productivity

Click the image to take you to buy the book

I’m kind of harsh on a lot of things, overly judgmental for all that I preach an open mind. For my birthday last month I was given a book called The Magic of Flowers: A Guide to Their Metaphysical Uses and Properties by Tess Whitehurst. It was a lovely thought, and directly corresponded to a discussion I had previously had about the personalities of plants and said personalities and representations used in literature (for example, Shakespeare’s Hamlet). However, flower magic for some reason has always seemed..”fluffy” to me – which I will happily point out my fault in reasoning: I hold herbs in the highest of standards. I am a certified herbalist and believe in the magical properties of herbs. See how silly I am?

Any way, I have been putting the book to use, mostly in regards to essential oil recommendations. However, there is a section that has an instruction for a set up of an alter with a desired outcome. It calls for a bouquet of x amount of y flowers to be in the center.

Turns out it’s the wrong season for the flowers it directly called for, so I looked up some of the flowers with similar properties. I ended up with a list of five different flowers, but when I was at the store got three different bouquets  containing five or six of three of the flowers on the list. I made my bouquet, having some of each flower left over. I arranged the remaining flowers nicely and gave them away to my mother, who was thrilled (moms dig flowers, in case you hadn’t heard). I followed through with the instructions for the alter, which is separate of my standard alter. It’s directly across the room from it in fact, hanging out on an old wood stove that hasn’t needed to be put to use yet this year.

I can’t stop staring at my new alter with flowers on it. It could be a response to what the alter represents, but I really do think ti’s the flowers. They bring an element of renewal and regeneration into my little ritual room. I’m quite sad to know that the flowers will wilt and wither, but I look forward to getting my next batch of flowers for the room. I have certainly felt their influence since they’ve entered.

In Whitehurst’s “Orientation to Flower Magic” she describes working with flowers as:

“…defined as employing a flower as a focal point for our intention or as a window into our own divine aspect in order to affect a desired positive change. While simply spending time with a flower can provide an infusion of nourishment and spiritual sustenance, flower magic can take many additional forms.”

Emotionally, simply having flowers around can enhance one’s mood. In a Harvard Study on About Flowers, they determined that people that are groggy or grumpy in the morning actually do better when there are fresh flowers around. It also showed that people feel more relaxed and the presence of fresh flowers can quell anxiety some.

“The final study results demonstrate that flowers impact people emotionally at home, causing them to feel less anxious and more compassionate. They even reported a boost of energy that lasted through their day.

‘What I find interesting is that by starting the day in a more positive mood, you are likely to transfer those happier feelings to others – it’s what is called mood contagion,” says Etcoff. “And, the kitchen is the place where families tend to gather in the morning – imagine how big a difference a better morning mood can make.'”

Other studies have been done yielding similar results from Rutgers University and Texas A&M University as well. Other studies have found that hospital patients with flowers in their rooms need less pain medications, were more positive, and had lower heart rates and blood pressure.

Regardless of their ritualistic properties, do yourself a favor and get yourself some flowers in your house. As mentioned in a previous post, looking after your physical and mental well being contributes just as much to your magickal outcomes as the intentions and rituals themselves do. You can look up some magical correspondences to help you in a specific area as you spread your flowers throughout your house, or you can go for something colorful, or something that links with the seasons.

Here are a couple quick lists just to get you started and thinking about what you might want to surround yourself with – compliments of Tess Whitehurst’s above mentioned book (which I do truly love, by the way).

Image borrowed from Selohaar, perfect example of a simple altar with flowers

Balance:

• Chamomile
• Dandelion
• Iris
• Lavender
• Rhododendron

Clarity/Focus

• Chrysanthemum
• Forget-Me-Not
• Lavender
• Morning Glory
• Oak
• Pansy
• Sage
• Sunflower

Cleansing/Detoxification/Purification

• Clover
• Daisy
• Geranium
• Holly
• Iris
• Lavender
• Lily
• Marigold
• Pansy
• Peony
• Rose
• Sage

Creativity/Imagination

Image borrowed from Fellow Blogger, Aniza Santo. Click on the image to go to this blog

• Iris
• Lupine
• Magnolia
• Petunia
• Sunflower

Depression, Healing From

• Bleeding Heart
• Lavender
• Marigold
• Poppu
• Primrose
• Valerian

Energy

• Narcissus (Daffodils)
• Oak
• Poppy
• Sunflower

Grounding

• Dandelion
• Geranium
• Jasmine
• Tulip
• Ylang Ylang

Happiness

• Chamomile
• Crocus
• Dandelion
• Morning Glory
• Sunflower

Harmony

• Chamomile
• Lavender
• Lily
• Morning Glory
• Orchid

Rose Smudge Sticks

Home, Happy

• Lavender
• Marigold
• Orchid
• Petunia

Strength

• Carnation
• Clover
• Echinacea
• Geranium
• Sunflower

Stress, Relief From

• Chamomile
• Lavender
• Morning Glory
• Pansy
• Wisteria

This is an extremely condensed list, and I only listed flowers that I thought would be easiest to find outside or in shops. There are more flowers listed for each aspect, and far more aspects listed in the book.

Go on, go treat yourself to some flowers!

**Jane is a student in Bellingham, Washington of Academics and a self-study pupil of magickal arts. She has spent time over a span of 15 years practicing meditation and attuning to the Universe, though her Will leads her along the path of the Written Word. You can read her other blog, Scribing English or her other articles on her Hubpages account, ThompsonPen 

Divination for Diet

I wanted to share this blog post I found on the Llewellyn website about doing a tarot reading in regards to diet. Personally, I am huge on nutrition, especially as for a while it was a career path that I wanted to pursue. As a magickal practitioner, a healthy body contributes just as much to the outcome of the meditation, the personal empowerment, rituals, rites and spells performed.

Allow me to stand on my podium, for just a moment!

The….simplicity (I use this for lack of a better term at the moment, though I assure you, it’s far from simple) of an unhealthy colon brought on by eating foods that collect due to not being able to be processed (such as bleached flour/rice products, read meats, etc) can cause toxicity within the body, which can cause seemingly unrelated problems such as asthma, body chronic bad breath and body odor, insomnia, back pain – to name a few – as well as anxiety and depression.

Anxiety and depression will definitely have influence over the energy your’e putting out, as well as how you perceive the world. Thus, it holds agency over your magickal and spiritual workings.

That being said! I found a blog post about divination about your food called The Excellent Eating Habits Spread:

“Summation of Spread The consumption and preparation of food is a connection to the life force itself—an opportunity to indulge in pleasure and health simultaneously. If you plan to change eating habits, emphasize the positive rather than dwell on the negative. This spread focuses on cultivating excellent eating habits.”

This nine card spread sheds light on your relationship with food and will help you to confront how it effects your emotional state and what you can do to overcome it.

**Jane is a student in Bellingham, Washington of Academics and a self-study pupil of magickal arts. She has spent time over a span of 15 years practicing meditation and attuning to the Universe, though her Will leads her along the path of the Written Word. You can read her other blog, Scribing English or her other articles on her Hubpages account, ThompsonPen 

Mercury in Retrograde

Mercury is the planet in our solar system closest to the sun. It has a very short “year” as a result. It takes just under 88 days (our days) to complete it’s trip around the sun. This means that it laps us, quite a bit. When it does so, from our perspective, it appears to be staying still, or sometimes moving backwards. This time is what is referred to when it is in retrograde. 

Astrologically, Mercury is the planet which is mostly known for being the planet of communication, though is also of intelligence and intuition. Joanne Martine Woolfolk, in her book, The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need, describes the planet as such:

“It has been said that Mercury makes life understandable, for it is the planet of intelligence…From the very beginning of man’s observation of this elusive planet,Mercury has been associated with speed and agility. In ancient mythology, Mercury was the messenger of the gods. He was young, beautiful and swift as the wind, for his feet had wings. HIs province was communication, commerce, everything requiring skill and dexterity. Not only was he clever in speech, he also invented music, mathematics and astronomy.”  (p. 194)

Courtesy of Christine Klicka (STScI), inspired by William Blake’s painting The Ancient of Days.

When it is prominent in your chart, you are likely to do well in communicating. If it is your Career House, then you’re likely to have a job involving such skill.

However, regardless of your chart, it is noticeable when this tiny planet goes into retrograde – a few times a year. During these times one might experience troubles forming words, brain fog, mental lethargy, writers block, or even bad sales.

The symbolism behind retrograde itself cause into observation of the past and inner reflection. Time of standing still or seeming to move backwards encourages us to meditate on the areas we need to face. Because Mercury is the planet of communication in an external manner, it might cause one to feel more introverted during this time, which lends hand to inner exploration and reflecting. Because of it’s general fast paced nature, Mercury in retrograde reminds us to slow down, take everything in, and ponder.

For 2015, you can expect this celestial occurrence:

• January 21 – February 11, 2015
• May 19 – June 11, 2015
• September 17 – October, 2015
• January 5 – January 25, 2016
• April 28 – May 22, 2016
• August 30 – September 31, 2016
• December 19, 2016 – January 8, 2017

Paganism 101: Basics of Pagan Spirituality

BURNING SERPENT

I got my first Lenormand deck last month and am completely in love with it. The last thirteen years I have been very strictly about the tarot, but The Lenormand system is so easy to pick up.
The words of wisdom on “inspiration” are nothing short of thought provoking, and should be considered.

TAROFLEXIONS

In a recent discussion with Rachel Pollack about inspiration, I suggested that we look at the etymology of the word. From Latin, inspirare, to be inspirited or to inspire, inspiration means not only ‘to breathe,’ but also to receive divine guidance when breathing in a certain way. What is thus suggested in this word is the idea that there is a breath that is transcendent. For me, then, any inspired kind of breathing is akin to a heroic act that reminds me of my first kiss.

I am fortunate enough to not only have such private conversations with Rachel, a brave woman of great wisdom and incisive reflective capacity, but also to receive her breathing my way manifested as words and through her own works. It excites me as well to see how she thinks of me, always inspiring me to do more, and be more. Here’s her dedication to…

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